Catholic Charities Comes Through for Refugee with Rare Medical Condition

On Wednesday, November 28^th, Refugee Resettlement’s own Brendon Robar was the featured speaker at Catholic Charities Donor Recognition Luncheon.  As a Case Manager, Brendon has worked with refugees from all over the world, including Iraq, Iran, Burma, Bhutan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Somalia.  Below is the text of his talk, describing how a recent arrival, a refugee from Iraq, needed and received care for a serious medical condition. 

I began working with the Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement team 5 years ago as the donation coordinator. In that role I may have actually picked up furniture donations from some of you. Almost 3 years ago, I began working as a case manager. In this role I work with our refugee clients for a full 8 months, and sometimes longer. This gives me the blessing of getting to know them better. And I also get to do a whole lot more paperwork!

Refugee Resettlement officially began in 1951, when the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees established the definition of a refugee, which is someone who "is outside the country of his nationality because of a well-founded fear of being persecuted because of race, religion, nationality, or political opinion, and is unable to return to his country." That's a complicated way of saying that refugees are regular people who decided it was better to pack what they could carry on their backs and leave their own country than to risk what might happen to them if they stayed. It's hard to imagine a situation bad enough to force people to leave not just their homes and cities—but their countries! All the refugees we work with at Catholic Charities have their own reasons for why they left, but I'd like to share one story of a refugee who arrived to Portland three months ago.

Allow me to introduce you to Samer Ibrahim. Samer and I were actually born in the same year—but on opposite sides of the world. Samer was born in Iraq. Samer was also born with Hemophilia, a rare genetic disorder that prevents his blood from clotting. If Samer cuts himself a band-aid won't fix it. Like most people with Hemophilia, Samer didn't know he was different from any other kid until he was about 4 years old and had his first skinned knee. In Iraq, Samer couldn't get the specific medical care that's needed to treat Hemophilia. Without medication, his knee continued to bleed internally from that first playground accident destroying the cartilage and ligaments that hold the knee together.

If Hemophilia without medication wasn't bad enough, Samer lived in Bagdad. I've heard stories from people out of Bagdad that are surreal. A note is left on your door: it's a death threat from some militant faction. The note says you are friends with someone who is helping the US Army, and they will kill you and your family because of it. You may have a coworker who leaves from work to get lunch but never returns. Days later, his body is found on the side of the road. People can only take so much of this before they decide it's better to become a refugee. This tipping point came sooner for Samer than for others because of his Hemophilia. Samer fled Iraq when he was only twenty years old leaving his two brothers, sister and his parents behind. Many people fled Iraq because of war, but Samer might be the only refugee who fled because of war and Hemophilia. Samer had two reasons to flee, and so he has twice the hope for his new life.

Samer fled Iraq and made it to Lebanon where he was first scrutinized by the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the CIA to make sure he wasn't a terrorist. Then, he attended cultural orientation sessions, had several medical screenings and signed a promissory note acknowledging that his airfare is a loan. Finally, Samer boarded an airplane for Portland, Oregon. When I saw Samer walk off the airplane here in Portland, the pain from his knees was visible on his face.

When refugees arrive with serious medical conditions, we know beforehand so we can prepare. I called the clinic and was given instructions on what we needed to do from day one to care for Samer. Less than 24 hours after Samer landed in the US, we had an appointment at OHSU where he got that specific medication he couldn’t get his whole life in Iraq.  Samer is not yet 30, but the doctors tell him he has the knees of someone in his 90’s.

Within a few weeks Samer had a consultation at OHSU to see if he is a candidate for knee replacement surgery.  In my car after the appointment, Samer told me that this knee surgery is his dream.  It’s wonderful when we get to see the hope that our clients bring with them fulfilled; and in Samer’s case it’s all happening so quickly!  Samer will have knee replacement surgery within the next two months!

I want to thank you for giving to the work of Catholic Charities. Because of you, Catholic Charities helps almost 300 refugees every year to resettle in Portland.  It’s a privilege to join together with you to welcome the stranger to our table, as Jesus welcomes us.

Holiday thoughts

We hope the Thanksgiving season is treating all of you well, and that you know how grateful we are for your passion and commitment to helping refugee families establish new lives in our community.

As we wind down this year, we’d like to take a moment to announce a few opportunities for our folks during the coming months.

ESL

Finally, we’re able to offer an English language class here in the Catholic Charities building for current and former refugee clients.  Entirely volunteer-run (led by TEFL student Heidi Moses and Jesuit Volunteer/AmeriCorps Member Shane Young), the class runs from 10:30-12:00 every Thursday morning—except Thanksgiving, of course.  Class is casual, with one-on-one conversation and instruction as well as group exercises.  Everyone has fun and the time seems to fly, with students leaving each class with a little more English and a lot more self-confidence.  Tell your families: we’d love to have them join us.  Unfortunately, there’s no child care, so we can only welcome adults.

Head Start

Volunteers working with younger children, please note: applications for local Head Start programs are now available in our office, as well as online.  There are three main Head Start agencies serving neighborhoods where our families live. Community Action Head Start serves families in Beaverton, Hillsboro and Lake Oswego; Albina Head Start provides services to people living within the Portland Public School district, while Mount Hood Community Head Start assists clients in East Multnomah County.

To get on the waiting list for Head Star, and Early Head Start services, a family needs to complete the application form and bring it, along with birth certification, immunization record, and verification of income to the designated site.  Shane is available to help with this process.  Give him a call if you need assistance:  503-688-2684.

Remember, refugees who start off in Head Start are instantly set up for a higher rate of success than those who enter the public school system without any prior schooling.

Happy Holiday!

Section 8 Housing Opening---First time in 6 Years!!!

ATTENTION ALL VOLUNTEERS:

This is a very important announcement/opportunity for any of the low income refugee families you work with.

Section 8 Opening:

Home Forward (formerly known as the Housing Authority) is pleased to announce that they are accepting waiting list applications for their Section 8 rent assistance program from November 1 through November 10, 2012. The application is very simple and can be filled out online, using any internet connected computer.

What is the Section 8 Rent Assistance Program?

The Section 8 program helps low-income residents afford rental homes and apartments at normal market rates. The Section 8 program currently provides rent assistance so that individuals and families pay only a portion of their income (usually one-third) for rent. The highly popular program has a waiting list that is only able to open up every few years. Applicants are then selected from the waiting list using a lottery system.   If selected, an individual or family can use their Section 8 voucher wherever a landlord will accept it.

For more details on the Section 8 rent assistance program, click the following link: www.homeforward.com.

SETTLING IN

My name is Shane Young and I am the new Jesuit Volunteer ( www.jvcnorthwest.org ) for the Refugee Resettlement program here at Catholic Charities. As the newness of this position starts to wear off and the full scale of my placement enters the horizon, I have paused to reflect on my experiences so far, as well as to introduce myself to you, our readers.

You’re From Where?

I come from the small, semi-rural town of Salem, Ohio and I currently call Gresham, Oregon my place of residence. This will be my second year as a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest (for more information see link above). My first year led me to inhabit the coastal wilderness of Juneau, Alaska. As a Jesuit Volunteer in Juneau, I worked for Juneau Youth Services at a Residential Treatment Facility for adolescents ages 12-18 years old. Many of these youth were dealing with a wide range of behavioral and mental troubles. While there I was a behavioral health associate and spent my days interacting with the youth in various situations ranging from school work to treatment activities.It was an amazing experience and I continue to miss it each day.

Prior to embarking on my adventure into the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest, I was a student at Wheeling Jesuit University, where I graduated in May of 2011 with a degree in International Studies. While studying and partaking in various service experiences, I was also a member of the Mens Soccer team, which is where my profound love of soccer has its roots. 

My passion for this job manifests itself from the many experiences I have had traveling internationally for school service trips and internships. I have had the opportunity to visit communities in El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Syria and Dubai to name a few and I continue to learn more about the abundance of culture in this world. 

I attribute my values and my ability to be where I am today to the many friends and mentors I have had throughout my college and high school years. I also want to acknowledge the impact my family has had on my travels and adventures, without all of you this wouldn’t be possible.

What Is It That You Do?

My job entails many day to day activities of Refugee Resettlement. As a Refugee Advocate I assist the wonderful Case Managers in the office with their multitude of work regarding our many new arrivals.

As of this moment I have been on the job for a hair over three weeks and I have been all over Portland and back. Here is a sneak peak of my experiences so far:

·         I was able to assist an Iraqi family of four in acquiring their Social Security Numbers, a valuable and mandatory step once they have arrived in the United States. I have also been able to help them with medical and transit training, by providing transport over the past two weeks. 

·         SHOPPING. I have had the absolute pleasure of accompanying eight different families over the past weeks to the Deseret thrift store, where we have been able to purchase much needed items including clothes, blankets and kitchenware. The thrill of helping a family provide for themselves is very hard to describe in words. 

·         Back 2 School. For the thousands of children in Portland, September 4^th was the first day of school. For those of us in the Refugee office, this meant the deadline was soon approaching. I have been busy helping our Child Advocate, Erin Carkner, schedule home visits to enroll children in our SAFRN program as well as to accompany families to the various local schools to complete the registrations. 

·         FOOD. Furthermore, I have been able to join an Iranian family for lunch (which was amazing) while also having the amazing opportunity to relax and enjoy hot tea and casual conversation with families in their own home.

Another part of my job is to be a helping hand for our volunteers who help with our refugee families. I will be a contact within the office in case our case managers are unable to attend to questions and I will also be lending a helping hand during our new volunteer orientations. Feel free to call my phone (503) 688-2684 or send me an e-mail with any questions, syoung@catholiccharitiesoregon.org.

As the year goes on, I am sure there will be many more stories and announcements coming your way. Thanks for taking a moment to learn a little about the “new JV”, a term frequently used in our office, and hopefully those of you reading won’t be strangers for long.

Summer's End

As the heat and festivities of a west coast summer come to an end, the fresh and new feeling of fall awaits. In all but a blink of an eye, swim trunks and BBQ’s turn into khaki shorts and Friday night football games. The children start their annual journey back to school as the oranges, reds and yellows start to appear on the trees. Here at Catholic Charities Refugee resettlement we are rebooting our systems from a busy summer and are “falling” (if you will) into another busy stretch lasting into our autumn months. So as we transition from season to season, let us fill you in on events to come (please see Updates below) while hoping you will come along for the ride.

UPDATE: Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement will be hosting a Volunteer orientation on Wednesday, September 5^th, 2012 from 5:30PM until 7:30 PM. The orientation will be held in our Clark Family Center Building (main office), located at 2740 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR. NEW and Experienced volunteers are invited to join this ever-evolving conversation about how to best help refugees transitioning to life in the greater Portland area. During the orientation, we will learn about the challenges newcomers face and the resources available to them. Furthermore, during the orientation there will be time to share your experiences, ask questions and seek suggestions while meeting other Volunteers. Most importantly this is a chance to connect to one another while having a bit of fun. If you cannot make this orientation, the next Volunteer orientation will be held in November. 

Please RSVP:  Jeanne Toal at jtoal@catholiccharitiesoregon.org or call 1(503) 688-2683.

Something else to keep an eye on: The Refugee Resettlement office has continued connections within the community to help out families who have concerns with clothing needs. If one of your families is in need of clothing for work, school or other similar situations, please contact myself, syoung@cartholiccharitiesoregon.org (1 (503) 688-2684 or Jeanne Toal (listed above) in our office for more information on the subject.

UPDATE: Erin Carkner, our child advocate in the Refugee Resettlement office is still looking for extra school supplies to help, specifically glue sticks. The children are always asked to provide glue sticks and currently we are running low on our supplies. So if you have any extra glue sticks lying around you may be able to help support the next Claude Monet or Vincent Van Gogh. 

Summer Program Success

We are entering the final week of our 2012 summer program for refugee children in elementary school. Time sure has flown by! We have been working with two great ESL teachers and 9 wonderful volunteers to help 28 newly-arrived refugee children develop their English and Math skills. Our hope is to prepare these children for school in the fall. But we don't just focus on academic instruction--we have fun too! Last week we even took a field trip to the zoo. 

During each week of the program we have focused on a different ecosystem to start conversations. So far we have discussed mountains, deserts, oceans, and grasslands. With each unit the children have learned different songs, read books and made art projects. A volunteer even came in to make paper bag puppets featuring animals from these ecosystems When we went to the Oregon Zoo we were able to show the children some of the animals they had been studying.

After lunch every day, we take the children outside to play on the playground, to jump ropes, and to participate in different organized sports (soccer is especially popular with the older kids). By now, every child knows enough English to ask a teacher for a push on the swing! Some days we have even done fun science projects (lots of foam and food coloring) with the older children.

All of the children seem really excited to start class each morning--for some of these children, it is their first time to ever attend school. Our volunteers have been a critical part of the program. With their help we are able to give each child individual attention to help them become accustomed to the idea of school rules and classroom instruction or to maintain what they have already learned in school earlier this year. It has been astonishing to see how much each child has improved in just the four weeks since the summer program began.

It will be tough to say bye to these children but it is great knowing that they are more ready to re-enter or begin school in the United States. Our summer program ends Thursday and we will be closing with a short talent show and an awards ceremony (which parents will be able to attend). Thanks again to our great teachers and volunteers who have made this program possible--we couldn't have done it without you!

What to expect for new volunteers--Food!

Food is a major part of hospitality for many of our refugee families. For some families, making dinner is a way to say thank you to their volunteer. If a family offers you food or tea, feel free to accept! It can be a new cultural experience and a bonding opportunity for you and the people you are tutoring.

     While Bhutanese/Nepali and Iraqi families are likely to feed you early and often, some families are a little more shy about their cuisine. The Burmese families, for example, might not invite you to dinner for some time because they worry you won’t like the food. I volunteered with a Chin Burmese family for 4 months before they invited me to dinner, but after that first dinner they cooked for me every single time I stopped by. Somali families, I have found, will feed you if you happen to be there when they are having dinner. Here is a very basic guide for those times when you are invited to eat with a family—what kind of food and practices you might see in Burmese, Nepali/Bhutanese and Somali households.

Bhutanese/Nepali

[Note: I am using the terms “Bhutanese” and “Nepali” interchangeably in this post. For an explanation, click here]



A typical Nepali meal



     Bhutanese/Nepali families love to feed people—they consider hospitality to be extremely important. (I cannot tell you how many times case managers have gone to pick up a Bhutanese family for an appointment and have been fed first—it is generally faster to stop arguing about the time and eat). Nepali food is similar to Indian food in that it is very flavorful, is usually eaten with rice, and will not include beef of any sort. A typical Nepali plate might have a big mound of rice surrounded by small bowls of Dahl (lentil broth), spicy chicken or goat and pickled vegetables. In addition, there will usually be a plate of sliced cucumbers or radishes on the table to be eaten intermittently when the food is too spicy. One pours the side dishes onto the rice and then mixes it up and eats it with one’s hands. Nepali/Bhutanese families will usually give you a spoon but they are generally delighted if you try to eat it with your hands “like Nepali” (little kids love giving you lessons about the right way to eat) but make sure you wash your hands first! Also, Nepali people typically do not talk very much while eating a meal.

     **Side note from a past volunteer: sometimes Nepali/Bhutanese families serve me food without serving themselves and then watch me eat—this may feel intensely uncomfortable for you, but I would just try to relax and go with it if that happens (though I have tried to explain to families that I prefer eating with them, with mixed success).  

     Nepali/Bhutanese families will keep putting food on your plate until you tell them to stop—they want to make sure you eat as much as you want. You might have to tell them several times that you are full before they will stop trying to give you more—so if they just put more food on your plate, don’t worry if you cannot finish it. When you are finished, it is perfectly okay to lick your fingers (but don’t do that while you eat, that’s frowned-upon) and then you can go wash your hands at the kitchen sink.

     Before or after dinner (or really anytime during the day) Nepali families will serve tea (aka “chai”). Their tea is steeped in milk with cardamom seeds and is very sweet (if you are diabetic, mention it before they make the tea—this tea is usually loaded with sugar). Everybody in the family drinks tea, down to the littlest kids who might drink out of carefully-cooled bowls. 

Burmese

     Burmese food varies among the different ethnic groups but it is generally similar to Chinese food (e.g. a lot of rice, noodles and fish sauce). Consequently, Burmese families do most of their shopping at Asian markets like Fubonn on SE 82^nd Ave. Burmese food tends to be served with a main dish of rice, noodles, or soup and lots of little bowls of other ingredients on the tables from which you mix your own dish (which is nice if you want to avoid spicy food). Karen families will more often eat with their hands while other ethnic groups prefer to use spoons.  

A typical Burmese meal

     Generally it is polite to finish your food but they won’t be insulted if you cannot. Much like with the Nepali they will keep serving you seconds and thirds in order to be hospitable so it is important to tell them when you don’t want any more. Also, it is fine to ask what is in a dish ahead of time and refuse it if you don’t like some of the ingredients—just tell them you don’t eat ___, they won’t mind. It will be a lot more awkward after the fact if they find out they have been serving you something you don’t like.

If you want to cook for a Burmese family, chicken is probably your safest bet. Mostly stay away from cheese and dairy, the Burmese tend to be unfamiliar with cheese in particular and don’t like to eat it. Baked goods and sweets are popular, though Burmese families don’t typically know how to bake these themselves (ovens are a new experience for most of the families).

Finally, if you are going to have tea with a Burmese family, expect Jasmine tea without sugar—it is a light, sweet-smelling green tea that one can buy fresh from Asian markets.   

Somali

     Somali food is characterized by lots of meat (beef or camel) cooked in oil and onions and eaten with bread. Somali families observe halal (Islamic rules for eating) pretty strictly so they buy most of their meat at Halal markets around Portland. Somali food is also strongly influenced by past Italian colonialism so most Somalis love spaghetti with onions and tomatoes any time of the day. Bananas are also a major part of meals for many Somalis—they will serve rice or pasta with a whole raw banana on the side.

     

Somali Sambusas

I have also found that since many Somalis spent a long time in refugee camps they frequently eat the food of whatever country they lived in before coming to America—so there can be a lot of variation in what families will eat (e.g. if a family came from Kakuma, Kenya they will eat a lot of Kenyan food).  One dish that is pretty popular with most east Africans is Sambusas (aka “samosas)—fried dough packets stuffed with spicy ground beef or lamb (I highly recommend them!). 

     As with Nepali/Bhutanese families, Somalis will probably give you a spoon but they will be delighted to teach you to eat with your hands. If you are unsure how to eat something, just ask them how they would do it (though they will probably first insist that you can eat it however you would like).

     If you are cooking for a Somali family, chicken is probably safest bet (they are not as concerned about what store it came from) but raw veggies (e.g., salads) will probably not go over very well. Never serve something prepared with alcohol—even if it is “cooked off” (e.g. in desserts).

     You will probably be served Somali tea starting with your very first visit. They prefer black tea steeped in milk with cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks and whole cloves (basically a chai latte—very delicious!). They tend to drink it very sweet with lots of sugar so be sure to tell your host in advance if you cannot eat that much sugar.

Again, these are very basic guidelines, every family is different. We would love to hear some stories from our volunteers about eating with refugee families—good and surprising or new experiences. Feel free to post a comment below!

Summer Program 2012!

      Next month we will be starting our summer program for 35 elementary-aged refugee kids. This program is designed to help refugee youth who have been in the United States for less than one year to maintain their Math and English skills over the summer so that they will be prepared for school in the fall. So far we will have kids from Bhutan, the Dem. Republic of Congo, Somalia, Myanmar, Cuba and Afghanistan! This will be the second year we have done this program. (Read about last year's program in The Oregonian, here.)

This is a picture taken by The Oregonian during last year's
summer program.

     We have two ESL instructors who will teach Math and English in the mornings then in the afternoons there will be crafts and games for the kids. (Sarah, our Jesuit volunteer is already planning some fun and messy science experiments for those afternoon sessions).Our wonderful volunteers and ESL teachers will work with these kids for 5 weeks beginning July 2nd.                                              This program will be held at Ron Russell Middle School alongside a similar program organized by IRCO for middle school and high school-aged refugee students.Right now we are busy putting together a curriculum, gathering supplies and planning field trips.

     We can always use more school supplies--especially glue sticks and backpacks!--so if you have any leads on good sources of free supplies, please call Sarah (503-688-2684) or Erin (503-688-2691). We are also looking for some volunteers to help us transport the kids to and from the program as well as to occasional field trips. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact our volunteer coordinator, Jeanne Toal. We are really excited about this year's program and how much it will help our kids when they go back to school this fall! Keep an eye out for pictures once the program gets underway next month! 

Pre-arrival Services....a.k.a. Preparing for a Congolese Family

In Refugee Resettlement our work involves both pre- and post-arrival services. Most of this blog has focused on our post-arrival work but this post focuses on what our case managers do before a refugee family arrives. This is written from the point of view of Sarah Dupont, our Jesuit Volunteer who helped one of our case managers prepare for the arrival of a Congolese family of nine last week.

"My work started as soon as we got the arrival notice announcing that a family of nine people would be arriving from Tanzania within two weeks. At our program staff meeting we went through their biographical data (sent to us from Migration and Refugee Services) and figured out the ages of each of the kids, whether the family knew anyone in Portland, whether there were any outstanding medical issues that would require immediate attention, etc.. After the meeting I started searching for four-bedroom apartments on housingconnections.org and other online resources. Nearly a week passed with no luck finding an apartment when another case manager spotted a "for rent" sign in Beaverton and we managed to arrange a great four-bedroom apartment for the family.

Two days before their arrival we took the cargo van to our storage facility where we picked out couches, chairs, tables, beds, etc. from all of the donated furniture that our donations coordinator has collected. (I'd like to give a special shout-out to everyone who has donated furniture to us--it may have been put in an apartment this very week!). With the help of one of our regular volunteers we took everything--including four dressers and three couches--to the apartment complex and carried it all up to their second-story apartment. We spent the next four hours assembling beds and arranging furniture--by the end of the day I was exhausted! (with Mom, Dad and 7 kids that meant there were eight bed frames, eight box springs and eight mattresses that need to be carried upstairs and assembled....)

The Congolese family of nine--finally in Portland!!

On the day of their arrival I went with the case manager to go purchase what we didn't have on hand--e.g., pots & pans, toiletries, cleaning supplies, comforters, and culturally-appropriate groceries. I headed back to the apartment and spent another five hours putting everything away, stocking the fridge, and assembling lamps and vacuum cleaners.The case manager was tracking their flight and arranging for an interpreter from the Congolese community to meet us at the airport. We found out that their flight was delayed so we spent the extra time cooking a hot meal for the family to welcome them to their apartment (we had to do some guessing about what a Congolese family would want to eat, so to be safe we stuck with simple bread, roasted chicken, and sauteed veggies).

Their flight finally arrived around 10pm (nearly two days after the family had left Tanzania!) but we didn't see the family until nearly an hour later after we sent a airline attendant to find them--they were waiting outside their gate because they did not know that they needed to exit security to find us (not an uncommon problem with refugee families). They were a bit dazed and understandably exhausted but also incredibly relieved to see us (or rather, the interpreter who was telling them who we were). At one point I turned to the mom to say something and she had her face in her hands and was visibly shaking with relief. I don't speak Swahili but I think she was just repeating over and over "we made it."

Movies about Refugees

For this post, I – Jordan – will be reviewing films about refugees.  Just as a little bit of background: I am a senior in high school and a volunteer here at Catholic Charities in Portland.

The representation of refugees in the media is often skewed and misleading.  There are, however, some good and accurate representations of the plight of refugees that are easily accessible.  The following are reviews of just a few of the films and short films available concerning the plight of refugees around the world.  Additionally, a comprehensive list of quality books and movies available concerning immigration and refugees can be found here.

Asylum (from: Gini Reticker)

Can be watched here

A short introduction to the struggles of a woman from Ghana, Asylum briefly (in twenty minutes) outlines Baaba’s life story.  Compelling and concise, it also addresses the issue of female genital mutilation in Africa, and describes Baaba’s journey for asylum once she reached the US.  This short film is an excellent telling of one woman’s heartbreaking search for stability.

Being Hmong Means Being Free (Wisconsin Public Television)

Can be watched here

Being Hmong Means Being Free provides a valuable insight into the background of the Hmong people who currently live in the United States.  A large portion of the United States’ Hmong population came to the United States during the Vietnam War that forced them to flee Laos, however, the current Hmong population remains deeply committed to traditional culture.  This film provides excellent background on this small segment of the population and the adversities the younger Hmong population (mostly the children and grandchildren of refugees) faces in America today.  The struggles described in the last half hour of this hour-long film very well represent the issues that many immigrant communities face in this country.

I am Lobsang (Global Action Project)

Can be watched here

The story of a young Tibetan immigrant, I am Lobsang chronicles the everyday struggles of immigrants in the United States.  While on the whole, it felt – in ways – contrived and scripted, this ten-minute film does provide a helpful insight into the feelings and common experiences of many minority groups in this country and could be a useful movie for those contemplating working with youth of unfamiliar cultures.

Sierra Leone’s Refugee All-Stars

Can be found on Instant Netflix

The documentary Sierra Leone’s Refugee All-Stars follows the lives of a group of musicians from war-torn Sierra Leone.  While not set in the United States, nor about asylum seekers, these musicians are refugees and the film focuses on their attitudes, struggles, and triumphs.  An inspiration for other refugees and even non-displaced people, these musicians travel through war-torn regions, putting smiles on the faces of other refugees.

Rain in a Dry Land

Can be found in the Multnomah County Library System

Rain in a Dry Land chronicles the resettlement of two Somali Bantu families in Springfield, Massachusetts.  Heart-warming and revealing, this documentary brings to light many of the everyday issues that refugees in the United States face.  Particularly, the film addresses the issue of identity (children debate in school about who is truly African), culture shock, and the reconciliation of the new, exciting American culture with their traditional values.  An important film in the comprehension of refugees in the United States, Rain in a Dry Land is a helpful watch for anyone working with or simply seeking to understand the plight of refugees in this country.